Challenging stereotypes of homelessness

This week is Homeless Persons Week and the aim this year is to challenge stereotypes of who becomes homeless. Ballarat's Anna Flood was just 20 years old when she found herself without a place to call home.

"I'd just split up with my partner at the time and I was pregnant and my family wasn't really very impressed with that, and basically I had nowhere to live."

For about three months Anna slept on friends' couches.

"That was really awkward.

"They were going out and they'd ring me to be the driver and I'd be on the couch trying to sleep and they'd be coming home. It wasn't nice at all."

Anna says she also felt incredibly embarrassed about her predicament, and felt like she'd let her family down by wanting to keep her baby.

"I remember lots of times I'd look at my belly and think, 'Am I doing the right thing?' It was very isolating."

Getting support

The Salvation Army found Anna an emergency unit to live in for six months at its Karinya Centre.

"I remember one time it had been five to six days that I hadn't spoken to anyone, and my case manager would knock on my door and say, 'Do you want to come for a coffee?' and I just remember that was amazing because I was so down on myself and not supported.

"She made me feel like I was doing the right thing, and having that roof over my head was the best thing ever, it was amazing."

The Salvation Army supported her to study administration and she found another place to live after she gave birth.

Five years ago, she decided working as a secretary wasn't enough for her, she wanted to give back. So she went to university where she studied community services.

Coming full circle

Anna's now found herself back at the Salvation Army's Karinya Centre as part of her work placement.

"I started there four weeks ago and I love it.

"I actually walked past the unit that I used to be in and it's so strange because that's where my waters broke and I remember thinking, 'I wonder if there's still a stain on the carpet in there'."

Anna says she has shared her story with some of her clients and hopes it gives them some hope.

"I did tell a girl the other day and she just said to me, 'I can't believe that, I can't believe you were homeless, I can't believe you lived here'.

"And ever since then I feel like we're a lot closer, she feels that I'm not looking down on her. I understand, it can just happen like that and to anyone."

Anna says life is now really good.

"I'm in love. It's been tough money-wise, I've been a single mum for 15 years now but my son has top marks in all his classes and we've been really happy, and I've never regretted having him, ever."

Challenging stereotypes

She says she still can't believe she went through such a tough experience.

"I just asked my son last night, I said, "Lachy, what does a homeless person look like?' and he said, 'Oh you know, it's an old man walking down the street' and I said, "It's not Lachy, it was also your mum'."

Anna says people become homeless for a wide range of reasons.

"Never look down on them because it could be you one day. I believe that everyone needs a little hand every now and again.

"If you see someone that doesn't look okay, don't just ignore it because one tiny change can make a big difference and they may have done nothing wrong to be in the place they're in, you just never know."